Porphyrius
Acta Sanctorum, May 4
Source text: Public Domain. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://actasanctorum.org/may/day-04/porphyrius.html
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ON SAINT PORPHYRIUS

PRESBYTER, MARTYR, AT CAMERINO IN UMBRIA.

[Commentary]

Porphyrius the Presbyter, Martyr at Camerino in Umbria (S.)

BY THE AUTHOR G. H.

The tables of the present Roman Martyrology celebrate
on this IV day of May S. Porphyrius
the Martyr in Umbria, where noted
Baronius, that of him mention is had
in the Acts of S. Venantius, [Sacred cult] who suffered at Camerino
on the XVIII of this month of May, on which day his Acts
we illustrate. Ludovico Jacobilli volume I on the Lives of the Saints
and Blessed of Umbria, on this IV of May, these things especially
hands down: When the holy Priest Porphyrius was
endowed with great learning, zeal and exemplary life, he went
into his country Camerino, and there the faith
of Christ preached, [conversion of the Gentiles,] and a copious multitude of Pagans
from the blindness of idolatry to the light of the Christian faith
led. Among others he converted and baptized
S. Venantius, a most noble youth of Camerino,
Supprinus his father, his mother also and others
of their kinsmen: and he instructed S. Venantius
in every kind of virtues, in which very illustrious to all
he appeared: who obeyed S. Porphyrius with great
reverence, as his true master. [SS. Venantius, Anastasius with their family] In the sacred
font also he washed Anastasius the Cornicularius of the King, and his
wife, as well as four sons, who
afterward all by martyrdom finished their life. As will be said
on the XI day of May. These sayings of Jacobilli confirms Ferdinand
Ughelli volume I of Italia Sacra in the Preface to the Bishops
of Camerino. Now from then, he says, from the year CCXLVIII the Evangelical
light embraced the city, by the work and effort
of S. Porphyrius the Presbyter, once of S. Venantius the most invincible
Martyr the master. For he, when scarcely fifteen
years old, and having borne through exquisite torments
the illustrious palm of martyrdom, very many of the worshippers of idols
by his tolerance converted to Christ,
together with Porphyrius his preceptor: and full of merits,
Decius the tyrant being conquered, he flew away to heaven. But
these things more fully are indicated in the Acts of S. Venantius. But the rest from
Jacobilli let us prosecute.

[2] There was of the city of Camerino, he says, a Governor by Decius
appointed, Antiochus, who by night had
such a vision, [the exposition of the vision made to the Governor Antiochus:] in which appeared to him S. Venantius,
full of splendor, while he procured the peoples
to be baptized, who also with great brightness shone:
but others stood behind, in most obscure darkness wrapped.
The Governor therefore commanded to himself to be summoned S. Porphyrius,
as a man with great sanctity, authority and learning
endowed, that the now related vision he might interpret.
He came and expounded to Antiochus the vision, to the true Catholic
interpretation conformed: and indicated that those
who appeared in obscure darkness and shadows wrapped,
were those who lived in the blindness of idolatry, adoring
for God statues of wood or stone, which neither
see, nor any sense use. But that S. Venantius
and the other peoples converted to Christ, were beautiful
and with every brightness resplendent, who by the medium
of the water of holy baptism, were illumined, and from the savagery
of the enormous sin of idolatry freed. And at the same time to him
he announced the Christian faith, and indicated in what
blindness he was, that the true God he did not adore.
Then the Governor, with fury against the holy Priest
moved, on account of this interpretation adverse to his sect,
commanded his satellites, [martyrdom:] that his head
they should amputate. Brought therefore to the place of punishment
he poured out to God his prayers, to Him commending the souls,
which to the port of salvation he had led, and his own
spirit. Then approached the executioner, and the head from the rest
of the body tore away, and in this manner his soul flew away into
heaven. This was done at Camerino on the IV day of May, reigning
Decius the Emperor. His body was by the faithful
reverently buried, and afterward translated into
the church, dedicated to S. Venantius and to him by the people
erected. These things Jacobilli, [burial.] citing in the margin the MS. History
of Camerino of Angelo Benigno, the ancient Lessons
MS., and other authors. The same volume 3 in the Catalogue of the Relics
of Umbria, hands down that in the Collegiate church of S. Venantius
is preserved the Body of S. Porphyrius the Martyr, in
a most ancient marble chest. The rest the reader will find
in the Acts of S. Venantius, in which no mention is made of Decius the Emperor,
but all things are ascribed to Antiochus the King, who
by the later writers is held only a petty King, or Prefect,
or Governor of Decius the Emperor.
